Clamp



May 25 1926.

E. ADERENTE CLAMP Filed Dec. 5, 1924 4 Ill Il/l/l/l/l l/A/ l v'mron :Ezzgerpe flag-rents Patented May 25, 1926.

UNITED stares EUGENE ADERENTE, OF JERsEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO SLIP-ON CIGAR.

FFEQE.

LIGHTER COMPANY, ZINCORPORATEI), OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A. CORPORATION 013 NEW JERSEY.

CLAMP.

Application filed December 5, 1924. Serial No. 754,231.

My invention relates to an improved clamp particularly adapted for attaching devices to panel boards or other supporting means. By way of illustrating a specific application of my invention I shall describe my clamp as used to attach a cigar lighter to the instrument board of an automobile, but I do not wish to limit myself to this application for it will be evident that my l clamp may also be used for attaching other devices to the instrument board of an automobile or to other panel boards or means of support.

An object of my invention is to provide F a clamp which may be applied quickly without the necessity of using fastening devices such as thumb screws, bolts, wedges, etc.

Another object of my invention is to insure a secure attachment to panel boards that vary considerably in cross section. For instance, the instrument board of an auto.- mobile may be made of wood, with a uniform thick cross section, or else it may be made of metal, in which case the board usually has a thin section with a flange ex tending rearwardly at the bottom to add strength to the board and givethe impression of a thick and substantial panel. My clamp is adapted for attachment to either type of panel board with equal facility and with equal security of attachment.

\Vith these and other objects in view,-my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a view showing myclamp in side elevation with a cigar lighter secured thereto and attached to a flanged metal panel board, the latter being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the clamp attached to a wooden panel board of uniform cross section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of my clamp.

In general my clamp consists of a substantially U-shaped member to which is secured a leaf spring member. The U-shaped member consists of a front vertical wall 10, a rear vertical wall 11 and a horizontal bottom wall 12. The wall 11 is preferably longer than wall and to the wall 11 the spring member is secured preferably by means of rivets'll, although any other form of attachment might be employed. The spring member comprises an upper arm 14 and a lower arm 15 which are inclined forward from the point of attachment of the spring member to the wall 11. Atthe upper end of the arm 14 there is a forwardly projecting sharpened prong 16. The lower arm 15 of the spring member is bent rearwardly to form a round-ed knee portion 17, while the receding lower end of the arm 15 terminates in a pair of forwardly bent hooks 18.

The bottom member 12 of the clamp is bent upward to form an arcuate recess 19 adapted to fit snugly over the cylindrical barrel 20 of a cigar lighter, 21. The barrel 20 is formed by bending a sheet metal into cylindrical form with the meeting edges 22 extending upward. These edges are passed through a slot 23 in the bottom wall 12 of the clamp and are bent back upon the arm 11 to secure the barrel 20 to the clamp, as best shown in the sectional view, Fig. 3.

Fig. 1 shows a method of applying the clamp to a metal dash panel 24 which is formed with a rearwardly projecting flange 25 at the bottom of the panel. The clamp is attached by merely moving itup on the panel so that the front wall 10 engages the front of the panel 24. As the clamp is moved up into position the upper arm 14 is bent backward and the prong 16 engages the rear wall of the panel, while the flange 25 bears against the knee 17 pressing the arm 15' backward until the knee is cleared when the arm springs forward with the hooks 18 engaging the rear edge of the flange 25. It will be evident that the clamp can be applied instantly without any adjustment of parts and that it will automatically attach itself to panel boards that vary widely in section. Once the clamp is in place the pressure of the lower arm against the flange 25 will force the front wall 10 of'the clamp against the front face of the panel holding the clamp securely to the panel board. The clamp is prevented from dropping off the panel board or being inadvertently pulled off, not only by frictional engagement of the front wall 10 against the panel board, but also by the knee portion 17 which overlaps over the upper face of the flange 25.

lVhen the clamp is applied to a wooden panel, the prong 16 of the upper arm digs into the wood preventing the clamp from being pulled downward off the panel, while the knee 1? presses the front wall 10 of the clamp snugly against the face of the panel. In this case also it will be evident that the clamp will adapt itself to panel boards that vary widely in thickness.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a rigid member formed with a flat bearing surface, and a resilient member supported by the rigid member and provided with a convex bearing surface and a. concave bearing surface, both facing said flat bearing, surface.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a rigid member formed with a flat bearing surface, and a resilient member supported by the rigid member, said resilient member being formed atone end with a prong and at the other end with a concave bearing surface, said prong and concave bearing surface both facing said fiat bearing surface.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a rigid member formed with a flat bearing surface, and a resilient member supported by the rigid member, said resilient member being formed at one end with a prong and at the other end with a convex bearing surface, said prong and convex bearing surface both facing said flat bearing surface.

4, As a. new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a rigid member formed with a flat bearing surface, and a resilient member supported by the rigid member intermediate its ends, said resilient member being formed at one end with a prong and at the other end with a convex bearing surface and a concave bearing surface, said prong, concave: surface and convex surface all facing saidfiat bearing surface.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a U-shaped rigid member, the inner face of one arm of said member forming a rigid bearingsurface, a resilient member secured to the inner face of the other arm of the rigid member, said resilient member being formed with a concave hearing surface and a convex bearing surface, both of said surfaces facing the rigid hearing surface.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a U-shaped rigid member, the inner face of one arm of said member forming a rigid bearing surface, and a resilient member secured intermediate its ends to the inner face of the other arm of said rigid member, said resilient member being formed at one end with a prong and at the other end with a concave bearing surface, both facing said rigid bearing surface.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a U-shaped rigid member, the inner face of one arm of said member forming a rigid bearing surface, and a resilient member secured intermediate its ends to the inner face of the other arm of said rigid member, said resilient member being formed at one end with a prong and at the other end with a convex bearing surface, both facing said rigid bearing surface.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a U-shaped rigid member, the inner face of one arm of said member forming a rigid bearing surface, and a resilient member secured intermediate its ends to the inner face of the other arm of said rigid member, said resilient member being formed at one end with a prong and at the other end with a concave bearing surface and a convex bearing surface, said prong, concave surface and convex surface all facing said rigid bearing surface.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp comprising a Ushaped rigid member, the inner face of said member forming a rigid bearing surface, a resilient member secured to the inner face of the other arm of said rigid member, said resilient member being formed with a bearing point at one end and two concave bearing surfaces at the other end, the bearing surfaces and the bearing point all facing said rigid bearing surface.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a clamp for attaching a device to a support. said clamp comprising a rigid member, and a resilient member, the rigid member comprising a front wall, a rear wall and a bottom wall connecting said walls, the front wall being adapted to engage one side of the support, the resilient member being secured to said rear wall and having a prong and a bearing surface adapted to engage the opposite side of the support, said bottom wall being formed with a slot for the attachment of said device thereto.

EUGENE ADERENTE. 

